How to Monetize Blog: Making Money With A Computer â€“ Part 2

In Wednesday's blog we discussed ways RVers can make money with a computer as they travel the country. Here is a second helping of ways that different RVers we know or have met are earning a full or part time income with their computers.

Affiliate Marketing – There are many different affiliate marketing websites online that offer income potential. To make money with affiliate marketing, you sign up with a company that brings advertisers and hosts together, and pick the advertisements you want to run on your website(s) or blog(s). The advertiser pays you for every visitor, subscriber and/or customer who comes to them from your site(s). Depending on the agreement, your commission may be as low as a penny or two per click, to a percentage of each sale made. To be successful with affiliate marketing, you have to have a website or blog that draws a lot of readers every day. Some popular affiliate marketing companies include Commission Junction, Amazon, and Click Bank.

E-Zines – Another popular money making opportunity is publishing e-zines, which are online magazines. These days you can find e-zines on everything from outdoor sports to computers, sailing, crafts, and anything else you can think of. Publishers of e-zines make money from advertising and from selling products they create themselves. An example of a quality e-zine is Destinations Travel Magazine. The Gypsy Journal went all digital early this year, and you can get a sample copy at this link.

Day Trading – At a campground on the Mississippi Gulf coast, we met a man who made a very good living as a day trader. A year later we ran into a gentleman doing the same thing in Tennessee. If you study the markets and aren't afraid to gamble, maybe you can, too.

Creating Web Pages For Businesses – I'm not much of a technical guy, but I've built several websites using simple, inexpensive drop and drag programs. I've also built a couple of websites for friends' businesses, and been paid as much as $1,000 to do so. We know a number of RVers who pay for their winter RV parks with the money they make creating websites for small businesses, including the RV parks where they stay.

Custom Children's Books – With a simple desktop publishing program, a digital camera and scanner, and some relatively inexpensive bindery equipment, you can create a line of simple customized small children's books. By writing several short stories into different books, you can set up your computer program to allow you to drop in the name and photograph of children to create their own custom book – Johnny Goes To The Grand Canyon With Grandma and Grandpa, Susie's Special Saturday, Billy's Summer Adventure – you get the idea. Doting grandparents will love giving these personalized gifts to the kids back home.

Teaching Computer Classes – They say that those who can't, teach. I don't know about that, but there are a lot of computer savvy people offering classes in everything from basic computer operation to advanced things like managing digital photos, desktop publishing, etc. Our friends Jim and Chris Guld from Geeks on Tour have created a very successful business traveling around the country teaching a wide range of computer topics at RV rallies and events, campgrounds, and with online tutorials.

Niche Publishing – A major part of our annual income comes from the sale of the many niche publications we sell to RVers, such as our Guide To Free Campgrounds, Guide to Casino Camping, etc. We print them out on our laser printer as the orders come in and ship them out, or send them as PDF files by e-mail. Over the years I have helped many people create nice publications on everything from recipes to restoring classic cars, to regional historical guides. Here is a link to an article on niche publishing from my self-publishing website.

Computer Repair – Like anything made by man, computers are going to break now and then, or pick up a virus, or develop some problem. If you know how to fix and upgrade computers, and how to clean up viruses and other malware, you can make a lot of your RV park neighbors happy and make money at the same time.

E-Publishing – E-books are revolutionizing the publishing world and there are many people making huge profits self-publishing both fiction and nonfiction e-books. My first mystery novel, Big Lake, has sold over 350,000 copies to date and made the New York Times Kindle bestseller list a few months after it came out. I currently have 25 e-books on Amazon and I am busy writing more.

Services To E-Publishers – You don't have to write books yourself to cash in on the e-book boom. An entire cottage industry has been created by people who offer services to e-book authors that include proofreading, editing, cover design, and e-book formatting.

So there you have it, ten more ways to make money with your computer. And there are many more I have not mentioned. Get creative, do some research, then roll up your sleeves and get to work! If I can do it, you can, too.

Be sure to enter our latest Free Drawing. This week's prize is an audiobook of Point Taken, the tenth book in my friend Ben Rehder's excellent Blanco County mystery series. I've read just about all of Ben's books, and I don't think he could write a bad story if he tried. To enter, all you have to do is click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn Sunday evening.

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